June 2nd, 2014 | Comments Off on John Waters Wins Go Nuclear Late Model Tour A-Main at Humberstone

PORT COLBORNE, ONTARIO… Whitesville, NY Late Model competitor John Waters picked up his first Go Nuclear Late Model Tour event on a beautiful Sunday evening at the New Humberstone Speedway. Defending PC Works DIRTcar Sportsman Champion Gary Lindberg from Ridgeway, Ontario claimed his second feature win of the season after leading all 25 circuits in the main event. 2013 JC Auto Street Stock Champion James Thompson from St. Catharines, Ontario picked up his second Street Stock feature of the season. Kyle Rothwell from Welland, Ontario picked up his first TC Decals Mini Stock feature of the 2014 campaign. Sam Pennacchio from Niagara Falls, Ontario went “4X4” as he picked up his fourth Mike Knapp Ford Pro 4 Trucks feature of the season.

Humberstone regular Jorden Peters and Adam Turner were on the front row for the 35 lap Go Nuclear Late Model Tour showdown and it was Peters showing the invaders how to get it done. Chad Ruhlman moved into second and John Waters raced into third followed by Turner and Dustin Waters in the top five. The top three pulled away from the rest of the field as defending race winner “Rapid” Rick Miller was in a battle for sixth with AJ Kingsley with Brett Belden and Brian Knowles right behind them fighting for eighth. Kyle Sopaz came to a stop in turn four to bring out the races first caution on lap eight. The Delaware-Style restart saw Peters out front as Ruhlman, Waters, Turner and Kingsley showing the way. Ruhlman went to the outside of Peters but the 2012 track champion was able to keep the lead. The yellow lights would come back on after a lap 10 jingle involving David McDonald and Luke Carleton in turn one. The restart saw Ruhlman get to the outside and pass Peters for the lead on lap 11. Ruhlman would keep the lead but John Waters would take command on lap 12 as Dale Caswell moved into third place. Caswell started 13th on the grid and by lap 15, was up to third and reeling in Ruhlman.

At the races halfway point, it was John Waters leading the way over, Ruhlman, Caswell, Kingsley, and Dustin Waters in fifth. The caution came out again on lap 19 for Jason Knowles who came to a stop on the back stretch after suffering a flat left rear tire. The restart saw Dale Caswell in trouble as he lost power in his machine and Jorden Peters and several others came together in the middle of turns one and two. Peters and Caswell both needed the wreckers to get back to the pit area.

Waters was showing the way over Ruhlman with Kingsley with Charlie Sandercock moving into fourth and Paul Grigsby racing in fifth after both passed Dustin Waters on lap 20. Rick Miller and Caley Weese came together in turn one to bring out the caution once again on lap 25. Sandercock came together with AJ Kingsley while racing for third off a lap 27 restart to bring out the caution. The eight lap shootout saw Waters pull away from Ruhlman with Paul Grigsby moving underneath Sandercock to take over third place. Paul Grigsby would then go underneath Ruhlman for second as the Springville, NY pilot using his “home track advantage” to take down Ruhlman but Ruhlman was able to keep the runner up spot. Waters would pull away to pick up his first Series win. Ruhlman, Grigsby, Sandercock and Dustin Waters completed the top five.

Gary Lindberg and Matt Sharpe led the PC Works DIRTcar Sportsman to the green flag for their 25 lap feature event and it was Lindberg showing the way with Sharpe, Darrell Farraway, Ryan Turner and Jordan Cosco in the top five on the opening circuit. Cody McPherson was on the move as he entered the top five after passing Turner and then moved into fourth after passing Cosco on lap four. McPherson went to the outside of Farraway as the 2012 Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman Champion moved into third place by lap 10, just as the leader hit lap traffic. Matt Sharpe hit a lap car and McPherson moved into second. Sharpe recovered but lost two positions on the track. At the races halfway point, it was Lindberg continuing to show the way over Cody McPherson with Farraway, Sharpe and Jordan Cosco in fifth.Lindberg was able to pull away to pick up his second win of the season. Cody McPherson would settle for second and was followed by Darrell Farraway, Matt Sharpe and Ryan Turner completing the top five. The finish is unofficial pending tech.

Paul Reichel and Chris Crawford were on the front row for the JC Auto Street Stocks to the green flag for their 20 lap feature event with Crawford getting spun. The restart would see Reichel spin in turn one but it was defending divisional champion James Thompson showing the way over multi-time feature winner Jason Fontaine. With Thompson and “The Fonz” showing the way, qualifying event winner Bill Bleich Jr was racing in third with Jim Lampman and Chris Crawford racing in the top five. Thompson and Fontaine were leading the rest of the field by a straightaway at the halfway point. Fontaine tried the bottom of the track to get around Thompson but Thompson was able to keep the lead. While the leaders were hitting lap traffic, Fontaine was able to reel in Thompson and got to his rear bumper but that would be as close as Fontaine would get as Thompson would pick up the win.

Leroy Buscumb and Sam Iftody led the TC Decal Mini Stocks to starter John Veach’s green flag for the 15 lap main event and it was Iftody showing the way. Evan Curtis started sixth and was quickly in third as Kyle Rothwell went underneath Iftody to take over the lead on lap two. Kyle Rothwell driving the Twisted Metal Racing number 96 entry was pulling away as Curtis, Jason Coutu and Iftody went three wide for second and it was Evan Curtis gaining the runner up spot. Rothwell would pull away and collect the checkered flag. Curtis would come home in second and was followed by Coutu, Iftody and Garnet Wilson completed the top five.

Colton Ledingham and Danny Wurster led the Mike Knapp Ford Pro 4 Trucks to the green flag for their 15 lap feature event and it was Wurster showing the way early. Multi-time feature winner Sam Pennacchio moved into second by lap two over Ledingham with Taylor Vanderzanden and Craig Vlasic racing in fifth early on. The top three would pull away from Vanderzanden and put on a great battle for the lead. Pennacchio would take over the lead at the halfway point and Colton Ledingham suffered a flat right front tire while running in second. The races first caution would come out on lap 10 as Adam Nicholls spun in turn four, erasing the lead that Pennacchio had over the field. The restart would see Pennacchio pull away from Taylor Vanderzanden and “The Flying Frenchman” Andy Imbeault to pick up his fourth win of the season.

Port Notes: This was the second visit to Humberstone by the Go Nuclear Late Model Tour. The Sportsman were racing for show up points as many competitors went to Cornwall Motor Speedway for the Sportsman Super DIRTcar Series Trail Race. The drivers of the Humberstone Speedway voted last week and all draws for qualifying positions will be open draw for the rest of the season. The complete racing program was completed by 9:50pm. Car Count Report for 6/1: 31 Go Nuclear Late Model Tour, 14 PC Works DIRTcar Sportsman, 12 JC Auto Street Stocks, 10 Mike Knapp Ford Pro 4 Trucks, 11 TC Decals Mini Stocks for a total of 78 racers pitside.

Next week, the Seaway Mall presents Humberstone race number one for the Tri-Track Sportsman Series featuring the PC Works DIRTcar Sportsman. An Autograph Night plus a full card of Cosco Haulage RUSH Late Models, JC Auto Street Stocks, TC Decals Mini Stocks and the Mike Knapp Ford Pro 4 Trucks will fill out the racing program. Gates will swing open at 4:00pm for both the pits and grandstands and racing action will get underway at 6:00pm.

The New Humberstone Speedway would like to thank all the new and returning Weekly Series Sponsors: PC Works (DIRTcar Sportsman), Pete Cosco Haulage LTD (RUSH Late Models), J.C. Auto (Street Stocks), Mike Knapp Ford (Pro 4 Trucks), and the TC Decals (Mini Stocks).

The New Humberstone Speedway is located just two miles East of Port Colborne on Highway 3, just 17 miles west of the US/Canadian Border at the PeaceBridge (Buffalo/Fort Erie). For more information, please visit us on the world wide web at www.humberstonespeedway.com as well as follow us on Twitter @NewHumberstone and like us on Facebook. Don’t forget to bring your portable FM radios and listen to all the action. You can also call the speedway at (905) 834-4002 or the speedway office at Cosco Haulage (905) 935-2886